ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS & PRIVATE COACHING

Our unique Certificate Programs have reached participants in the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Thailand, China, and Australia. Sign up for one of these extraordinary offerings and join the growing Clown School community around the world!

THE CLOWN - TRICKSTER - TEACHING CLOWN - HUMANITARIAN CLOWN - TEACHING COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE - TEACHING MASK - PRESENCE - SHAKESPEARE - MOLIERE - SATIRE - CREATE YOUR OWN (CLOWN) SHOW - THE COMEDY OF DISHARMONY (CLOWN IN THE WORK OF EDWARD ALBEE)

FOR ANY OF OUR CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS LISTED BELOW - CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR PLACE

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: THE CLOWN

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $499 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

“I could not have had a better teacher or a better course material. I am amazed by how much I have learned and how many insights I got during a relatively short period of time, thanks to you and the program. Neither did I expect to get this level of knowledge and experience from an online program. This is just the beginning for me as a clown, but with me I have invaluable tools and a better self-confidence that will help me on the journey.” EL, Sweden

Dive into the world of the clown! Research, reflect, and begin to practice this amazing discipline. The ten units of this course will give you a rich and immersive experience, will challenge and inspire your imagination, and will offer you special insights into the history and performance of clowning. You will receive custom feedback on all your projects and guidance, encouragement, and informed criticism as you develop your understanding of the craft. Prepare to be surprised as we reveal crucial and rarely discussed aspects of the clown and guide you towards your own solo routine that you will share (with an audience of your choice) at the culmination of this class.

There are 10 units total, all of which are done at your own pace. You will film and/or write the assignment and then send it to the instructor who provides detailed feedback. You will meet virtually with the instructor at least 4 times during the course to check-in, chat about the work and clarify any questions you have about the process. It's super flexible, fun and one-on-one. At the end of the journey, you will receive a personalized Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 — A History of the Clown
Unit 2 — Emotion
Unit 3 — An Innocent Abroad
Unit 4 — Exploring Failure (The Auguste)
Unit 5 — Exploring Success (The Whiteface Clown)
Unit 6 — The Body of the Clown
Unit 7 — Your Clown Song
Unit 8 — The Shape of Things
Unit 9 — Your Own Routine
Unit 10 — The Public

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: TRICKSTER

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor Mike Funt
Cost $499 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

Another totally unique new offering from The Clown School, the world’s first Certificate Program in the art the Trickster.

“Many native traditions held clowns and tricksters as essential to any contact with the sacred. People could not pray until they had laughed, because laughter opens and frees from rigid preconception. Humans had to have tricksters within the most sacred ceremonies for fear that they forget the sacred comes through upset, reversal, surprise. The trickster in most native traditions is essential to creation, to birth.” Professor Byrd Gibbens in a letter to George Carlin.

Explore the playful and disruptive side of human imagination as it is embodied in Trickster mythos. Borrowing from many art forms through the lens of Trickster traditions and mythologies from around the world, you’ll play in a realm where the artist is there to disrupt, mock, and entertain: the realm of the Trickster. These archetypal figures have served as leaders in communication and healing since our cultural beginnings. They feature as prominent parts of story-telling, tribal rituals, performing arts, and ceremonies in cultures all over the world to entertain and amuse, but also provoke and unsettle. They control through chaos. They give, and they take. They flatter you, and they mock you. They are ridiculous and sublime. Enter and surrender to the world of the Trickster.

There are 10 units total, plus the orientation, all of which are done at your own pace. You will meet virtually with the instructor at least 4 times during the course for private dedicated sessions. There will be project and preparation work, including the recording of videos, between meetings. It's super flexible, fun and personalized. At the end of the journey, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 — Introduction to Trickster
Unit 2 — The Laughing Shadows of the Shaman
Unit 3 — The Six Maxims of the Trickster - Overview
Unit 4 — Follow Your Pleasure
Unit 5 — Ignore the Rules
Unit 6 — Attune to Nature and Your Primal Instincts
Unit 7 — Discover Opportunities Where Others See Problems
Unit 8 — Transgress Any Form of Delineation
Unit 9 — Proclaim What is Sacred
Unit 10 — The Four Actions and Your Coyote Tale

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: TEACHING CLOWN

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $599 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

“I really enjoyed the readings and exercises…I now feel I have a solid foundation to begin my own clown teaching practice thanks to the breadth, depth and generosity of this course.” AS, Dublin

In this amazing new offering from The Clown School, you will study the art of Teaching Clown, guided by the Clown School’s Founding and Artistic Director David Bridel. Examine the history of the clown, understand the discipline deeply, study exercises and learn their purpose, understand the fundamental principles and archetypes of clowning, learn about current trends in the field, and develop your own personal approach to teaching. This program is comprehensive, rigorous, challenging, and great fun. You will depart from it with a very clear sense of your obligations and capacities as a teacher of Clown.

There are 10 units total, plus the orientation, all of which are done at your own pace. You will meet virtually with the instructor at least 5 times during the course for private dedicated sessions. There will be some project and preparation work between meetings. It's super flexible, fun and personalized. At the end of the journey, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Orientation - The Clown and You
Unit 1 — Overview and Origins
Unit 2 — Philosophies of Clown Training
Unit 3 — The Basic Principles
Unit 4 — Clown Exercises
Unit 5 — Classic Clown Archetypes
Unit 6 — A Clown Progression
Unit 7 — Pedagogy and Curriculum Planning
Unit 8 — Student Progress and Challenges
Unit 9 — The Discipline Today
Unit 10 — Making Clown Training Your Own

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: HUMANITARIAN CLOWN

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $599 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

This exciting new program offers you the chance to go beyond the stage or screen and discover the rich and thrilling potential in the art of humanitarian clowning. Learn how the art of the humanitarian clown connects to the original function of the clown. Dig into the history of this extraordinary art form and take note of its two pathways. Learn in depth about existing practitioners in the art of the humanitarian clown, from medical clowning to crisis zone clowning to activist clowning. Finally, devise your own project that reflects your interests and passions as you consider how to put your intuition to work.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 — The Original Clown
Unit 2 — The Two Paths of the Clown
Unit 3 — Medical Clowning: Practitioners
Unit 4 — Medical Clowning in Practice
Unit 5 — Crisis Zone Clowning: Practitioners
Unit 6 — Crisis Zone Clowning in Practice
Unit 7 — Activist Clowning: Practitioners
Unit 8 — Activist Clowning in Practice
Unit 9 — Your Humanitarian Clown
Unit 10 — Practicum: Humanitarian Clowning Project

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: TEACHING COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $499 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

The Clown School is now offering a one-of-a-kind opportunity to explore the teaching of Commedia dell’Arte, the elusive and extraordinary masked discipline that provides the foundation for so much in the world of comedy, character, farce, satire, and improvisation. In a variety of carefully curated units, you will examine the history of the form, the archetypes and characters, and how to create original material using a Commedia platform. What is utterly unique about David’s approach is his understanding of the dynamics of improvisation, the geometry of the Commedia stage, and the channeling of energy, rhythm, and motif to create the wild and celebratory world of the Commedia. You will complete this course with a rich and rewarding understanding of the art form - and how to teach it - that you can’t find anywhere else. David is the winner of an Entertainment Weekly Award for his Commedia dell’Arte direction featured in The School of Night at the Mark Taper Forum.

The Curriculum:

Orientation - Commedia dell’Arte and You
Unit 1 — Origins and History
Unit 2 — The Secrets of Commedia Training
Unit 3 — Initial Improvisations (without mask)
Unit 4 — Mask “plunges”
Unit 5 — Developing Commedia Characters
Unit 6 — Integrating Character with Improvisation
Unit 7 — Lazzi
Unit 8 — Technique and Form
Unit 9 — Creating a Curriculum
Unit 10 — Devising a Commedia show

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: TEACHING MASK

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $599 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

Take a journey into the magical and mysterious world of teaching mask with David Bridel. This detailed Certificate Program will give you the historical, pedagogical and creative foundations to build extraordinary classes for your students. You’ll practice some basic exercises - you will read and study at length about varying different forms of mask - you will learn many exercises to explore - and you will find your own specific interests and your own point of view sharpened and developed under expert tutelage. While your own mask collection will be helpful in the long run, it is not necessary for you to own masks in order to take this program and benefit from the instruction - and you will find that you can apply portions of the work in the classroom without physical masks, too. A major emphasis of the course connects the world of the mask with character study and development, applicable in many different genres of acting, including realism. David’s experience as a mask, character, movement and clown teacher - and a teacher of teachers - comes to the fore in this amazing new offering.

There are 12 units total, all of which are done at your own pace. You will meet virtually with the instructor at least 6 times during the course for private dedicated sessions. There will be some project and preparation work between meetings. It's super flexible, fun and personalized. At the end of the journey, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 — Overview and Origins
Unit 2 — Mask Training: Architecture and Image
Unit 3 — Found Masks
Unit 4 — Movement and the Neutral Mask
Unit 5 — Larval Masks
Unit 6 — Full Character Masks
Unit 7 — Half Masks & Balinese Masks
Unit 8 — Commedia dell’Arte
Unit 9 — Unrecognizable: from Mask to Character
Unit 10 — The Inner Masks
Unit 11 — Masks and Text Studies
Unit 12 — Conclusion

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: PRESENCE

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $599 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

Our latest Certificate Program, and one of our most eagerly anticipated. For the last several years, David has been developing his work on Presence with a wide demographic, including performers, business professionals, and artists of all kinds. Now you can explore the elusive art of “being here now” in depth, guided by David’s unique curriculum that involves practice and research drawn from the worlds of improvisation, clowning, acting, public speaking, professional development, character study, and real life!

There are 10 units total, all of which are done at your own pace. You will meet virtually with the instructor at least 6 times during the course for private dedicated sessions. There will be some project and preparation work between meetings. It's super flexible, fun and personalized. At the end of the journey, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 — Definition - what is presence - and what is it not?
Unit 2 — The Interfering Mind - examining the mind and its tendency to pull us out of the present with interfering thoughts
Unit 3 — Emotions - how to bring your thoughts down into the emotional realm; the energy in emotional truth
Unit 4 — The Body - a practical guide to using the body as the conduit for emotional integration and arrival in the present moment
Unit 5 — A Word About Psychology - noticing the role of time, values and archetypes in the self
Unit 6 — An Intentional Detour - we look sideways into your life to look for examples of presence, and find strategies to encourage them!
Unit 7 — The Audience - explores the nature of communication with an audience of 1 to 1000
Unit 8 — Rehearsal - we prepare for a communication of your choice developing the themes covered in the course
Unit 9 — Practicum - you engage in the communicative challenge we have prepped, and review it
Unit 10 — Conclusion - gives us the chance to consider the course as a whole!

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: SHAKESPEARE

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $599 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

In this amazing new offering from The Clown School, you will immerse yourself into the world of Shakespeare’s plays and emerge enriched, challenged, and transformed by the extraordinary impact of the Bard on your own imagination and creativity. Uniquely designed with a “choose your own adventure” flavor, select three texts from our list that you wish to explore in depth - one comedy, one tragedy, and one “problem” play or romance - and delve into the limitless universe of each one. You will uncover secrets of story, character, language, poetry, imagery, performance, and personalization, as you engage, with increasing sophistication, in the brilliance of Shakespeare’s world. Whether you are an actor, director, critic, teacher, or lay-reader, this immersive 1-on-1 experience is totally original and has been brought to life in order to bring you joy in learning.

There are 12 units total, plus the orientation, all of which are done at your own pace. You will meet virtually with the instructor at least 10 times during the course for private dedicated sessions. There will be some project and preparation work between meetings. It's super flexible, fun and personalized. At the end of the journey, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from us.

Plays to choose from (select one from each category):

Comedy - Twelfth Night / The Taming of the Shrew / As You Like It / A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Tragedy - Hamlet / Othello / Julius Caesar
Problem Play/Romance - The Merchant of Venice / Measure for Measure / The Winter’s Tale / The Tempest

The Curriculum:

Orientation - Shakespeare, History, Context - and You
Unit 1 — Origins
Unit 2 — Story
Unit 3 — Character
Unit 4 — Language
Unit 5 — Overview - your progress thus far
Unit 6 — Theme
Unit 7 — Verse
Unit 8 — Poetry/Imagery
Unit 9 — Overview - your progress thus far
Unit 10 — Personalization
Unit 11 — Performance
Unit 12 — Overview and Conclusions

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: MOLIERE

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor Mike Funt
Cost $499 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

In this exciting new offering from The Clown School, will explore the irreverent and hilarious theatrical realms of one of the greatest playwrights of all time: Moliére. Through analysis, discussion, rehearsal, and performance, students will discover the vast comedic dimensions of Moliére including satire, physical comedy, verbal wit, comic character, and more. This course offers in depth study of Moliére’s most famous play (Tartuffe) his most respected play (The Misanthrope) and offers you the chance to investigate a third play of your own choosing. No matter your current familiarity level with Moliére’s work, you will complete this course creatively challenged and comedically inspired. This intimate 1-on-1 learning experience is perfect for actors, directors, critics, teachers, and lay-readers alike.

The Plays:

Tartuffe
The Misanthrope
A play of your closing from the following:

The Imaginary Invalid / School for Wives / The Bourgeois Gentleman / The Miser / The Impostures of Scapin

The Curriculum:

Orientation — History and Context of Moliére
Unit 1 — Origins - Louis XIV, Versailles, and the Triumph of Pleasure
Unit 2 — Satire and Society
Unit 3 — Commedia and Character
Unit 4 — Overview - your progress thus far
Unit 5 — Moliére’s Literary Style - Approaches to Alexandrine Verse

Unit 6 — Imagery and Voice

Unit 7 — Physical Comedy in Moliére’s Texts
Unit 8 — Overview - your progress thus far
Unit 9 — Applying Moliére in a Modern Context
Unit 10 — Personalization
Unit 11 — Performance
Unit 12 — Overview and Conclusions
Ages 18 and older.
Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: SATIRE

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor Mike Funt
Cost $499 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

sat·ire | /ˈsaˌtī(ə)r/: the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize the stupidity or vices of an individual or society

Satire--as a technique to lampoon foolishness and corruption--has pervaded culture for centuries, utilizing humor as a weapon, to speak truth to power, to protest the unjust, and to hold a mirror to society. This new Certificate Program offered by The Clown School will help performers write and develop their own satirical characters for performance through improvisation, writing prompts, and performance of scripted material. We will also explore the work of great theatrical satirists of the past such as Moliére, Oscar Wilde, and Commedia dell’Arte all the way up through Stephen Colbert and Sasha Baron Cohen.

There are 10 units total, all of which are done at your own pace. You will meet virtually with the instructor several times during the course for private dedicated sessions. There will be some project and preparation work between meetings. It's super flexible, fun and personalized. At the end of the journey, you will receive a Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 - Introduction to Satire: we will answer questions like “What is satire?”
Unit 2 - The Human Condition: an exploration of medieval jesters, buffon, and Commedia dell’Arte as raw depictions of humanity’s flaws;
Unit 3 - The Very Idea: an examination of how satire can be used to expose and criticize societal institutions like religion, social status, etc.;
Unit 4 - Truth to Power: a look at the work of writers and performers such as Moliére, Oscar Wilde, and Charlie Chaplin to examine
Unit 5 - Satirizing the Conventional: Dame Edna, Archie Bunker, The Target Lady, Homer Simpson, JP Sears, all examples of how satire can be used to caricature everyday life and mock the status quo. Students will delve into their personal lives to find inspiration for satirical characters;
Unit 6 - The High Status Idiot: Performers like Steve Martin, Stephen Colbert, and Ricky Gervais have made careers creating personas with the perspective of the high status. We will explore how status plays a role in creating satirical characters.
Unit 7 - The Three Types of Satire: an exploration of the three types of satire. Horationa, Juvenalian, and Minippean.
Unit 8 - Finding Your Voice: You will explore your own values and begin to develop your own voice by answering questions like “What roles can satire play in our culture as both entertainment and political activism?” and “How can I use satire to produce measurable change?”
Unit 9 - Developing a Final Project: You will write and create a final satirical piece.
Unit 10 - Performance: Performance of your final project in front of an audience.

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: CREATE YOUR OWN [CLOWN] SHOW!

Class Type Online, 1 (or 2,3, or more)-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost $899 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

If you want to create your own show, this program is for you. Bring any idea to the table - story, character, image, fragment, dream, hunch, or even just the will to make something happen! - and we will work with you to explore in depth the possibilities and the pathways available to you, guiding the development of your artistry and providing inspiration and support for your own project. David’s vast experience as an artist, writer, director, deviser, performer, teacher and consultant enables a truly dimensional investigation of the creative process. While this is The Clown School, and we fully anticipate your interest in building a clown show, David also has the breadth of knowledge to aid any form of artistic expression, from solo performance to new play, in any genre. Whether you aim to create a show for the theatre, the screen, a festival, the street, a school or college, your workplace, your family, or just for yourself, the personalized attention to script/score, structure, concept, design, intention and impact will help you bring your instincts to life!

Note that this course can be taken by an individual, duo, trio, or small group with no change to the cost.

There are 10 units total, all of which are done at your own pace. Be prepared for written assignments, visual prompts, video homework, and more. You will have at least 8 one hours meetings during the length of the course to check-in, talk about the work, and clarify any questions you have about the process. It's super flexible, fun and one-on-one. At the end of the journey, you will receive a personalized Certificate of Completion from us.

The Curriculum:

Unit 1 — Ideas and Intentions
Unit 2 — Story and Concept
Unit 3 — Structure
Unit 4 — Environment
Unit 5 — Character(s)
Unit 6 — Devising, Creating, Drafting, Writing, Part 1
Unit 7 — Devising, Creating, Drafting, Writing, Part 2
Unit 8 — Editing (Rewriting)
Unit 9 — Flights of Fancy
Unit 10 — Next Steps

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!

ONLINE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM: THE COMEDY OF DISHARMONY: CLOWN IN THE WORK OF EDWARD ALBEE

Class Type Online, 1-on-1 Experience
Dates Open
Times Open
Location Wherever you are!
Instructor Mike Funt
Cost $499 (discounts for previous Clown School participants)

Edward Albee remains one of the most powerfully provocative playwrights of the 20th Century, with a career spanning over sixty years. In this Online Certificate Program, participants will discover the relationship between the playfully disruptive figure of the clown and Albee's plays, exploring scenes from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?, Zoo Story, Seascape, The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, The Play About the Baby, Three Tall Women and more. Combining practical exercises and analytical discussion, participants will experiment with the primal impulses that underlie the text and dive into the deeply felt emotions that connect tragedy and comedy at a fundamental level. Join us for a unique opportunity to explore the works of Edward Albee with an instructor who knew and worked with the great playwright personally.

In this program, we will:

Examine Albee as a Trickster figure through his plays;
Use play as a method of exploring and connecting with deeply felt emotions such as fear, anger, jealousy, loss, etc.;
Use the vulnerability of the clown to break free of the "reassuring cages of habit and understanding" and "remember how to be alive;"
Use improvisational exercises in clown, bouffon, jester, and grotesque to explore the space between truth and illusion;
Apply all of the above to working through Albee's texts;
Discuss Albee as a model for developing your own work that is personal and challenging;

Albee brought the absurdist style of Beckett and Ionesco to the United States, and his characters are truth-tellers with childlike qualities--imagination, openness, impulsiveness, and authenticity--perfect playspace for the clown.

"I never understood why anyone would want to go to any artistic experience...and not come away changed in some way. Any [artistic experience] that I go to that leaves me unchanged from the person I was when I went in is an absolute waste of time." --Edward Albee

PRIVATE COACHING (COACHING WITH DAVID)

Class Type Solo or duo, Zoom
Dates To be arranged at mutual convenience
Times To be arranged at mutual convenience

Location Wherever you are!
Instructor David Bridel
Cost TBD

Whatever you please. David can help you with your clown work, devising, movement, playwriting, direction, auditions, scene study, creating character, text analysis, teaching skills, stage presence, public speaking, and much more. Please visit www.coachingwithdavid.org for further information and to book your session.

Ages 18 and older.

Prerequisite: None. All experience levels welcome!